The 88th Council Meeting of the European Federation of Geologists (EFG) was held in Milos, Greece, from 13 to 17 May 2026, in connection with the conference “Industrial Minerals and their Contribution to European Development.” The event was organised by the EFG’s Greek member, the Association of Greek Geologists (AGG).
Ahead of the Council Meeting, the week opened on 13 May with a conference on “Industrial Minerals and their Contribution to European Development” at the Milos Conference Center “Georgios Iliopoulos” in Adamas. The programme was opened by Maria Tzima, President of the AGG, and David Govoni, President of EFG, followed by a keynote from Professor Emeritus Michael Stamatakis on the role of industrial minerals in sustainable development and the green transition.
Three sessions brought together speakers from across the geoscience and mining sector to discuss extractive innovation, sustainable development, digital applications in mining, and the integration of industrial minerals into the Critical Raw Materials (CRM) Act framework. The day concluded with a roundtable on the strategic importance of industrial minerals and the role of the European Geologist (EurGeol) professional title, moderated by Pavlos Tyrologou, Chair of the EFG Advisory Board.
Group photo at the conference “Industrial Minerals and their Contribution to European Development”
On 14 and 15 May, participants took part in two field trips across Milos, guided by Dr. Michael Stamatakis and Dr. Marianthi Anastasatou. The first explored the island’s volcanic geology and industrial mineral sites, including bentonite stockpiling areas, perlite deposits, zeolite-rich ash tuffs and pozzolanic tuff formations. The second focused on active mining operations, with visits to IMERYS perlite quarries and processing facilities at Voudia, Aggeria bentonite deposits and the remarkable volcanic formations at Sarakiniko. Both trips offered valuable insights into Milos’s geological heritage and its significance as one of Europe’s leading industrial mineral producers. The programme concluded with a visit to the Milos Mining Museum and the traditional EFG Wine Contest, which was won this year by Turkey.
The 88th EFG Council Meeting was held on 16 and 17 May. The EFG Board and Secretariat presented updates on the implementation of the 2023-2027 EFG Strategy, while Advisory Board members, Panels of Experts and Task Forces shared progress from their ongoing work.
The Council confirmed the renewal of the mandates of Secretary General Magnus Johansson (Geosektionen) and Treasurer Pablo Núñez Fernández (ICOG). Christian Masurenko (BDG) was elected as EFG’s new Vice-President. The EFG Board and Secretariat warmly congratulate Magnus, Pablo and Christian on their elections and extend sincere thanks to Iris Vukovic of the Serbian Geological Society for her dedicated service as Vice-President over the past six years.
Further highlights of the Council Meeting included a presentation by Hanna Liventseva (Geosciences Barcelona CSIC) on a planned Ukraine Minerals Exhibition at the European Parliament, a collaborative initiative between the Ukrainian Association of Geologists (UAG), Sindacato Geologi (SINGEOP) and EFG. The Council also held a session on the responsible use of AI in geosciences, led by Ethics Advisor Yuliya Zhuk and Project Officer Tamás Miklovicz, as well as a presentation by Paul Hubley, CEO of EFG Associated Member Geoscientists Canada, sharing perspectives on professional regulation and titles in Canada. The five Advisory Board members, Pavlos Tyrologou, Maureen Gallagher, Yuliya Zhuk, Monica Edreira and Susanna Occhipinti, were confirmed for a second term.
Sunset in Paka, Milos
A sincere thank you to Maria Tzima and the entire team at the AGG for hosting and organising such a successful and memorable week in Milos. We look forward to the next EFG Spring Council Meeting which will be held in Romania!
Discover below a selection of photos and stay tuned for the full album!
Photo credits: Tamas Miklovicz (EFG) and Association of Greek Geologists (AGG).
